Lug connection for picker-sticks.



J. F. DEMERS.

LUG CONNECTION FOR PICKER STICKS.

APPLICATION man APR. I3, 1918.

1,292,723. Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

maxmw JOSEPH F. DEMERS, OF IBERWICK, MAINE.

LUG CONN'EC-"IION FOR IPICKER-STIGKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application filed April 13, 1918. Serial No. 228,337.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known, that I, JOSEPH F. DEMERs, of Berwick, in the county of Yorkand State of Maine, a citizen of the United States, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Lug Connections for Picker- Sticks, ,of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,in explaining its nature.

The present invention relates to the connection between the so-calledpicker stick and the picker arm of a loom and by which connection themotion of the picker arm is imparted to the picker stick for operatingit.

As now customarily employed in looms the connection between the pickerstick and picker arm comprises a connecting bar havmg U-shaped strapends embracing the stick and arm respectively. The straps are made ofcanvas, leather or similar material. They are secured to the oppositeends of the bar by bolts and at the points where the bolts pass throughthe straps they are slotted in order to provide for their endwiseadjustment in relation to the bar. These connections in many ways aresatisfactory as long as they last for they are inexpensive and requireno specially preformed parts, or, in other words, are ma e of stockparts easily procurable, and provide for an adjustment of the strap endsboth in relation to the picker stick and the picker arm.

disadvantage of the connection, however, is that the strap ends becomevery quickly worn out and are also easily broken or disrupted by thestrain to which they are subjected. Another disadvantage is that thestrap ends will get out of adjustment in case of any loosening of thebolts which connect them to the bar, and which loosening would not beapparent. This necessitates the shutting down of the loom for anappreciable length of time in order to provide for the furtheradjustable fixing of the strap end or ends.

The object of my invention is to retain in a lug connection all of theadvantages now obtainable in the connection to which I have referred andas ordinarily employed, and to overcome the disadvantages; in otherwords, to provide a lu'g connection inexpensive to manufacture, withparts easily procurable; to provide a lug connection which will bewear-resisting and practically unbreakable under ordinary conditions ofusage; to provide a connection permitting of all required adjustments ofthe strap ends, both in relation to the picker stick and the picker arm;to provide a lug connection in which loosening of the fastenings forsecuring the strap ends will be made apparent to the operator, and toprovide a connection in which the loosening of the connection for thestrap ends will not disturb their adjustment before such loosening canbe corrected.

My invention can best be seen and understood by reference to thedrawings, in which Figure 1 shows in side elevation the connection asapplied to a picker stick and picker arm, those parts of the stick andarm only being shown for a proper understanding of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4: show in perspective the strap ends, which form elementsof the connection which will later be explained.

Figs. 5 and 6 show modified structures of the strap ends.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents the usual pick arm which operatesthe pick stick. 2 is the pick stick and 3 the connection between the armand stick by which the motion of the arm is communicated to the stickfor operating it, and in which connection resides the sub ectmatter ofmy invention.

The connection 3 comprises separate end straps 5 and 6 and an interposedpiece or bar 7 to which the straps are secured.

The straps 5 and 6 consist of flat metal pieces bent into U-shape withthe free ends of the straps or strap arms overlapping the ends of theinterposed bar 7 and bearing against the opposite sides thereof.

The bar 7 is preferably made of wood rectangular in general shape, withwidened ends forming offsets against the outer faces of which the straparms bear.

The straps are secured to the bar? by means of bolts 9 which passthrough; the strap arms and bar and are secured by nuts 10. The straparms are provided with longitudinal slots 11 where the bolts passthrough them in order to provide for the endwise or longitudinaladjustment of the straps with relation to the bar 7 to which they aresecured. Further retention ofthe arms by riveting or other suitable modeofretention. The Width of these facings is substantially the same asthat of the arms and their length is such that the facings will extendwell beyond the ends of the slots 11 formed in the arms, these slotsbeing formed also in the leather facings.

Arranged upon the bolt s 9 and retained by the-heads of the bolts andnuts 10 to bear against the facings 12 in the strap arms, are grips 14:which, upon the tightening of' the nuts for securing the bolts, arepressed into engagement with the facings 12 for holding the-straps inplace against endwise displacement.

Eachof the grips 14 consists of a metal plate having a hole'in it forreceiving the bolt; a corrugated inner face 15 by which it may bite intothe leather facing upon application of pressure to the back of the grip,andfianges 16 depending from the sides of the grip, which overlap theside edges of the facing. The flanges 16 hold the grips in alinementwith the strap arms and leather facings thereon and prevent the gripsfrom turning relatively thereto.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown a modification of my invention in thatinstead of applying leather facings to the strap arms, the outer facesof the strap arms are provided with corrugations 17 and the corrugatedinner faces 15 of the grips 14 mesh directly therewith. Thisconstruction is more expensive than the one first referred to whichemploys the leather facings. For ordinary purposes the leather facingsare entirely satisfactory inasmuch as the corrugated faces of the gripsbite into the leather and form corrugations in it, the

leather thus corrugated preventing any tendency to frictionaldisplacement under ordinary usage. In cases, however, where the strapsmaybe subjected to undue strain tendingtodisplace them the modifiedconstruction, or that last referred to, may be employed.

In-the application of the lug connection the lug strap 5, which embracesthe pick stick, is supported in the usual manner by a leather 100p 18which is attached to the pickstick'by a screw 19. The strap 6, whichembraces the pick arm, is provided preferably with'a lining 20 ofleather, any suitable piece of strap leather being adaptable for thispurpose. This lining is usually made of stiff leather and maintains itsplace when bent by its frictional bearing against the interior of thestrap armalthough'the strap may be riveted or otherwise fastened to thearm i if desired.

The lug connection thus provided is, in accordance with the objects ofmy invention,

inexpensive, made of parts easily procur-- connecting bar permits of aneasy adjust-.

ment of the straps and, when thefastening is made properly tight,operates to hold the straps securely in place. 7

Another very decided advantage from an operating standpoint resides inthe fact that in case the fastening for the strapishould become partlyreleased or loosened such loosening will not result in a loss ofadjustment of the strap, but will simply allow the strap to turnupon-thebar to which it is attached, which [turning immediately notifies theoperator of the 'loosening of' the connection and correction can be madebefore the loosening has gone so far as to effect displacement ofthestrap as regards its adjustment. In other words, all the operator needdo, in case the fastening becomes loosened, isto turn the strap backinto proper position and retighten the fasteningnut', further adjustmentof-'- the strap being unnecessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A lug connection of the type specified having a"strap-carryingv bar,a strap carried by the bar and adjust'ableendwise in relation to "it,and a fastening for securing the strap to the bar, said fasteningcomprising means permitting of the turning of the strap-with relation to thebar without endwise displacement of the strap upon a partial release orloosening ofsaid fastening and permitting of [the endwise displacementor adjustment of the strap upon a more com plete' release of said"fastening.

2. A lugconnection of the type specified 'having'a strap-carrying bar, astrap carriedbythe bar andadjustable'endwise in relation to it, saidstrap having arms-overlappingthe end of said'bar, a releasable fasteningfor securing the strap arms to the bar and permittingofthe endwisedisplacement "of the/strap and of the strap turning upon the bar uponthe release of said fas-" tening, said fastening comprising in partmeans functioning to permit of'the turning of said arms and" strap onsaid bar upon the partial release or loosening of said fasteningand ofthe endwise displacement or adjustment thereof only upon a more complete release of said fastening.

3. A lug connection of the type specified having a strap-carrying bar, astrap carried by the bar and adjustable endwise in relation to it, and afastening for securing the strap to the bar, said fastening comprisingin part gripping devices held by it and functioning to permit of theturning of the strap with'relation to the bar without endwisedisplacement thereof upon a partial release or loosening of saidfastening and of the endwise displacement or adjustment of the strapupon a more complete release of said fastening.

4. A lug connection of the type specified having a strap-carrying bar, astrap carried by the bar and adjustable endwise in relation to it, saidstrap havin arms overlapping the end of the bar, a olt-and-nut fasteningfor securing the strap to the bar, and gripping devices retained by saidboltand-nut fastening and functioning to permit of the turning of thestrap with relation to the bar without endwise displacement thereof upona partial release or loosening of said fastening and of the endwisedisplacement or adjustment of the strap upon a more complete release ofsaid fastening.

5. A lug connection of the type specified having a strap-carrying bar, astrap carried by the bar, said strap having slotted arms overlapping theend of said bar and bearing against the same, a bolt-and-nut fasteningfor securing the strap to the bar said arms for holding said strap,saidarms of the, strap presenting faces with which gripping devices willhave interlocking engagement.

6. A lug connection of the type specified having a strap-carrying bar, ametal strap carried by the bar with arms overlapping the end of the barand bearing respectively against the opposite sides thereof, said armshaving slots formed in them, a releasable fastenin for securing thestrap arms to the bar, said fastening extending through the bar andthrough the slots in said arms and permitting of both endwise adjustmentof said strap in relation to said bar and the turning of the strapthereon when said fastening is released, and gripping devices retainedby said fastening to engage said arms for holding the strap in placeupon the tightening of said fastening, said arms of the strap presentingfacings with which said gripping devices have interlockinghengagementwhereby said strap will be eld in place when said fastening is properlytightened and whereby, also, said strap may turn in relation to said baru on a partial release or loosening of said 'astening and the endwisedisplacement or adjustment of said strap in relation to said bar onlypermitted upon a more complete release of said fastening.

JOSEPH F. DEMERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

